Natural hair growth tips for long, beautiful and healthy hair

Long, shiny and healthy hair is an easily achievable goal, provided you dedicate some time to hair care and follow these helpful all-natural healthy hair tips.

Having long, healthy and beautiful hair is what most women wish for, unless you are the pixie cut type. Maintaining your hair and making sure it looks perfect can be tricky, especially considering our erratic lifestyle, pollution and bad food habits. But the dream of having amazing hair isn't impossible to achieve, you just need to know the right things to do and practice them with dedication. Just follow these simple hair growth beauty tips for healthy hair, and you’ll be able to sport locks that even Rapunzel would have envied.

Trim Hair Every 6-8 Weeks

Trim your hair regularly. Damaged ends are your hair's worst enemy. Monthly hair trims help get rid of split-ends and help you avoid hair fall. Remember split-ends mess up not just your hair's length but also affect the shine, volume, and smoothness of your hair. Always remember, a little trim on a regular basis, is a great tip that will naturally help hair growth.

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Treat it with Hair Mask

Hair that is more than shoulder-length can be several years old (yes, we are talking about the lower part of your hair length). So, bear in mind that it needs more TLC than what a normal conditioner might offer. Instead, a good hair mask can provide the right kind of pampering to your hair.

Apply a hair mask every two weeks to condition and nourish the hair extensively. Frisk two egg whites with a little bit of lemon juice and apply it on your hair. Alternately, a combination of warm olive oil, cinnamon and honey can work well as a hair mask. Apply it to damp hair, leave it on for 10 minutes, then shampoo and condition as usual.

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Hair Scalp therapy

Do not ignore the scalp as it needs as much care as your hair. It is important to keep the hair roots healthy, as dirt, oil, and dead skin cells can accumulate on the scalp affecting hair growth. Gently massage the scalp with your fingers while you shampoo to get the dirt out. For added mositurisation, try applying fresh Aloe Vera gel on the scalp at least once a week leaving it for 30 minutes before washing it off.

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Avoid harsh chemicals

We cannot emphasize it enough--say NO to harsh chemical treatments and products that can seriously mess with your hair. Go natural as far and as much as possible. When it comes to chemicals, less is more-so, avoid using heavily scented shampoos and even conditioners as much as you can. The lesser the amount of product you apply, the longer and better you hair will stay.

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Air dry your hair

We are so used to wrapping our hair in turbans after wash. This can cause lots of hair breakage and hair fall. It's better to let hair dry naturally after gently wiping and patting with a soft towel.

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Eating right and healthy

Diet plays an important role in hair growth. Protein is essential for long hair so make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet. This can be done by increasing your intake of protein rich foods like dairy, fish, pulses, nuts, eggs, lean meat and soya. Eat foods that promote hair growth.

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Hair supplements

If nothing works, try taking supplements. Omega 3 fatty acids, biotin (vitamin B1) and zinc are some important nutrients to consider. Studies have shown that these supplements elongate the hair follicle, which makes hair grow faster, and also stimulate the cells that cause your hair to grow. If you think you are not getting enough of all the hair-building nutrients then go for the supplements after consulting your doctor.

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Stay hydrated

Water is not just good for your body, it is good for your hair and skin too. Staying hydrated is very important, if you want healthy hair. What's the connection between the two? Well, dehydrated body leads to dehydrated, breakage-prone hair, so make sure you drink enough water every day.

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Avoid very hot water

When washing your hair it's a good idea to skip very hot water as it weakens the hair, making it dry and brittle. Try lukewarm water instead and remember, the last rinse should be with cold water, to close hair follicles and keep them healthy.

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Avoid Heat styling

Heat styling can fry your hair, making it brittle and weak, which, in turn, will keep it from growing long and strong. Go easy on hot styling hair tools, unless you want breakage and frizz causing permanent damage your locks.

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Take care while brushing

How you brush your hair is also extremely important as rough and constant brushing can cause physical damage to your hair. Be especially careful when you detangle wet hair, as maximum damage and hair loss can happen then. With regularly oiling your hair and these natural tips can help you achieve longer hair only if you are consistent and patient. Use natural coconut oil nourish the scalp. On an average, hair grows about half an inch a month so do not expect a miracle. A proper hair care regime and diet along with minor changes in the way you manage your hair can help you make sure that your hair is long and beautiful. Text by Kavita Devgan